Watch What They Say ...

TAKING NAMES

January 22, 2004|By Scott Maxwell, Sentinel Columnist

So Orlando's pro-choice mayor, Buddy Dyer, signed a "Life is Precious Day" proclamation, later saying he didn't realize it was an anti-abortion thing. It took Taking Names about 20 seconds to learn that one of the slogans used for this day's event was: "Abortion Kills Children." Pandering to both sides is the kind of thing that can kill a politician because it builds distrust among everyone. The mayor, however, says he wasn't pandering. Instead, his defense is that he didn't know exactly what he was doing. Is that better?

Of the voter-approved initiatives to build pesky things like schools and mass transit, Gov. Jeb Bush said this week: "It is clear that the threat to our fiscal health is not over." Well, give the guv credit for candor. It's not every politician who's willing to say exactly whom he considers a threat: the voters.

In Orlando City Commissioner Vicki Vargo's district newsletter this month, she has eloquent words about dealing with tough financial times. But it appears the words were eloquently chosen by someone else: the author of a May 2003 article on the National League of Cities Web site. About half of her letter appears lifted from the article, including a 131-word paragraph with only two original sentences. This is certainly no Watergate. But back in grade school, most students learned to at least rearrange the words they cribbed from encyclopedias.

On the flip side, Vargo is reveling in having chosen her own words to criticize city money for Lou Pearlman's downtown project -- a year before her peers jumped on the bandwagon.

NO MEL -- OH, WELL

When Mel Martinez flipped on the television Tuesday night, he did so with pangs.

It was the first time in three years, after all, that the former U.S. housing secretary wasn't at the State of the Union address in person, wedged in between Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.

"We would always talk and cut up a bit," Martinez recalled of his seat neighbors. (Mineta does seem frisky.)

This week, however, Martinez gathered friends and family at the headquarters of his U.S. Senate campaign in downtown Orlando, where floors aren't marble and where the eats were punch and cookies.

"I did change my surroundings a little bit," he said. "But next year, I plan to be back."

MORE SOUP FOR YOU

Ever wonder what Seinfeld's infamous Soup Nazi did when the sitcom ended?

Well, besides collecting about $200 a year in residuals from the show, he works with I Dream of Jeannie's Barbara Eden in a female-led touring production of The Odd Couple. And this Saturday, character actor Larry Thomas comes to DeLand to help raise money for the Faith, Hope and Charity Society at Arvida's Victoria Park SOUPer Bowl fund-raiser. (Info at fhac.org)

"Never did I imagine it would last this long," the soft-spoken "40-something" said of his character's longevity. "I mean, I imagined 40 different scenarios for my career. But never was this one of them."

One secret, though: He's not really much of a soup chef. Only chili.

What's that? Oh, crud. No soup for me.

NAME TAGS

From the tacky, tacky files: Sources tell Taking Names that a few select politicians are practically jumping out of their oily skins to get close to state Rep. Carey Baker, who's serving in Iraq, as soon as he sets his feet back on American soil. It's apparently the chance for a photo op with a real, live, gun-totin' patriot that has them salivating. But, according to state Rep. Frank Attkisson, who's working as a friend and informal liaison with Baker's family: "It really doesn't matter what any politicians want. The first thing we want for him is to see his wife and family."

After repeatedly saying he probably wouldn't seek re-election, Ocoee Mayor Scott Vandergrift changed his mind Wednesday, setting up a contentious battle with union guru Debra Booth, whose campaign is being funded by the family of Ocoee City Manager Jim Gleason. Something's gotta give in this dysfunctional family of a city. Acting as counselor will be Ocoee residents, who vote March 9.

JUST RUN WITH IT

Disney should just embrace this whole war-criminal-working-at-the-theme-park thing. Think: Mr. Militia's Wild Ride or It's a Small World (completely capable of being dominated if we really try hard) After All.